Apparatus for making envelopes



Sebt. 27, 1932. R. L; LOCKWOOD 1,379,624.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING ENVELOPES Filed may 51. 1930 ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 27, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RAY L. LOCKWOOD, OF WEST SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB TO OLD COLONY ENVELOPE COMPANY, OF WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPQBATION OF MAS- V SACHUSETTS APPARATUS FOR MAKING ENVELOPES Application filed May 31. 1930. semi No. 458,844.

This invention relates to improvements in the art of making enevelopes and is directed more particularly to apparatus for producing ample envelopes.

rinters and others often desire to produce sample envelopes of different styles and sizes from various kinds of paper and this invention has for its principal object the provision of apparatus toeasily and readily accomplish this.

The various novel features ofthe invention and the advantages thereof will be observed from the following description of the present preferred form thereof taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in

which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an envelope pattern forming a part of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view at a larger scale of the same.

Fig. 3 is an envelope blank formed by means of the pattern, and

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a plurality of folding plates for use in connection with the pat- I tern shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, the invention will now be described in detail.

The invention consists in a broad way of one or more pattern elements 2 such as is shown in Fig. 1 and a plurality of folding plates 15, 17, 18 and 9-0 as shown in Fig. 4.

The pattern member 2 is preferably made in the form of an envelope blank which has the usual upper and lower flaps as well as side flaps. The member 2 is preferably made from some substantially rigid and relatively thin material such as sheet metal, fiber board, celluloid or the like so as to be somewhat stiff and yet light in weight.

A central cut-out or opening 10 is provided in the member 2 and is shaped to the form of another envelope blank also having the usual flaps.

The outer marginal edges of the member and the inner marginal edges formed by the opening provide edges which when the pattern is superposed on a sheet of paper may be traced around to provide the shape of envelope blanks. These may be called tracing edges.

A set or sets of elongated cut-outs or openings 14 and 16 shown at a large scale in Fig. 2which maybe called slits are disposed between the inner and outer marginal edges as shown. These are arranged to form the outline of other envelope blanks and provide other tracing edges which may be used like the tracing edges just referred to.

The pattern member may be disposed on a sheet of paper or the like and by tracing around either the outer or inner marginal edges of the pattern or by tracing along the edges of the slits an envelope blank may be delineated on the paper. This then may be cut out to provide an envelope blank E as shown in Fig. 3.

The pattern may be formed to produce a blank of any desired style or size and the central opening while for producing a smaller size maybe for a style different than that formed by the outer marginal edges of the pattern.

In Fig. 4 there is shown a plurality of folding plates 15, 17, 18 and 20 which are preferably of relatively rigid and thin material, all of sizes and shapes suitable for use in connection with the different blanks formed by the pattern member.

These are laid on an envelope blank as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3. Their marginal edges act as guides against and over which the flaps of the blanks may be folded to complete the specimen envelopes.

It will be observed that by means of a single pattern member that a plurality of different patterns are provided, so that by means of a comparatively few pattern mem bers it is possible to provide a very large variety of patterns. The various patterns may vary in size and style or shape within wide limits and in that way there is avoided thenecessity of a different pattern for each different style or size.

Having described the invention in the form at present preferred what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

Apparatus for making envelopes compris- I stantially rigid material formed to the shape of an envelope blank having outer marginal edges which may be traced around to provide an envelope blank having a body portion and flaps at opposite sides thereof, said member having a central opening therein formed to the shape of an envelope blank, having inner marginal edges which may be traced around to provide another envelope blank having a main body portion and flaps at opposite sides thereof, the said member having elongated slits intermediate said outer and inner marginal edges and extending in substantialpar allelism therewith for tracing around to provide an envelope blank of a size intermediate that of the said unitary member and said E central opening and having a main body portion with flaps extending from the sides thereof.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

RAY L. LOCKWOOD. 

